Monday Motivation: 10 Ways to Simplify Your Life

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10 Ways to Simplify Your Life

I’ve seen several friends posts a motivational word that they wanted to use as a guide for 2014. I really had no plans of specifically finding a word but then one just jumped out at me. I was cleaning up my Christmas decor and putting out our other items and came across the above sign. I’ve had it for years and it has sat on the same shelf in my kitchen but for some reason I didn’t realize its significance until this week. Simplify. That is my word! That is the word I need more than any other word this year. I find myself a frazzled mess most of the time and it is time to stop trying to do everything and focus on what is really important: Faith, family, and my health. And in a funny twist of events, the main message in church yesterday was about simplifying our lives to focus on the things that are most important. Yep, this is my word. And as I’ve been thinking about it, I’ve come up with 10 ways to simplify your life, all things that are easy, yet hard to do.

Learn to say no. This year I will learn to say no to things that take my time from my family and that add unnecessary stress to my life. Some of these things will probably be good things, but I will need to give them up for better things. I will also say no to myself when I have some “wonderful” idea that I know would be great but leave me a stressed out mess.

Limit unnecessary worrying. This year I will focus on the things I can control and stop worrying about the things that I can’t. If I can’t change it then I don’t have the time to worry about it. Instead of worrying I will be proactive with the situations that I can change. (Those who know me know that this one will be the hardest but I’m going to try.)

Simplify living space. This year I will clean out the clutter in my home. I try and keep my home pretty put together and don’t hang on to a lot of extras but I will focus on cleaning out and donating the things that I don’t need so my living space is free from chaos. Things just feel better in a clean, non-cluttered home.

Find quick meals to prepare in advance if possible. This year I won’t find myself scrambling at meal time because I will do the prep in advance so that my afternoons are less chaotic when my children get home from school. It seems like the hours of 5-8pm are always mass chaos in our house and if dinner is already planned and either prepared or frozen to be heated, I can focus on the other things that need to be done in my home each afternoon.

Simplify daily chores. This year I will simplify my daily chores by expecting my children to pull their own weight around our home. I know that when they are required to do age-appropriate chores that I am preparing them for their future and also taking a load off of my shoulders. I will also be okay with not completing every task on my list and will ask for or hire help when life gets too overwhelming.

Simplify my online life. As a blogger I have many different online activities that I am juggling everyday including social media, emails, working with sponsors, moderating online groups, etc and it can get really overwhelming and take over my real-life if I let it. This year I will set specific hours for my online life and un-plug during the hours I spend with my family. I will clean out my email accounts, unsubscribe to anything I don’t need, and “un-friend” if needed to rid myself of unnecessary drama online.

Spend more time with my family and friends. Along the lines of #6, I will spend more time doing simple things such as playing games and going to the park with my kids without the distraction of the internet. I will also schedule in date nights with my husband and make our relationship as a couple as important as our relationships with our kids.

Spend more time in meditation/prayer. One of my biggest challenges is being able to clear my head at the end of the day. I feel like I have so much going on at all moments and it can be challenging to relax. This year I plan to spend more time meditating and praying about the things that are really important in my life. It’s during those moments that I can let go of reality for a minute and focus on being healthy spiritually.

Simplify health. I admit that I am the first to jump on any new exercise programs or diets. I read and read about what is working for this person or that person but this year I will just simply focus on being healthy. I will eat all things in moderation and exercise daily, not just for my physical health but for my mental health as well. I will stop trying to figure out the “secret” to a healthy life and just start living one.

Identify what is most important. This year I plan to identify the things in life that are most important and eliminate things that aren’t. I will write down the things that matter most and focus on what a more simple life would look like to me. My life is loud and chaotic at times with my 4 boys but there are certain things that add to the chaos that can be taken away or limited in our home.

What are some other ways to simplify your life that you can think of? These are just my thoughts but I would love to hear from you as I start my journey to a simpler, less stressful life.

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4 Comments

This is a great list. I wrote one similar to it in my private journal. I can relate to all, but six, seven and nine stood out for me. I also need to simplify my online life, health and I definitely need to spend more time with the people I care about.

Thank you Tami. This is just what I needed to hear. Some things I am currently working or have accomplished, such as the organizing and chores. But most of the time I am not consistent in following through with the ideas or improvement areas. Your list puts everything in to perspective. I hope to follow your example . Again, thank you!

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